A registered sex offender is facing more charges after Flagler County detectives say he strangled an 11-year-old boy, tied him up and forced him to drink and smoke marijuana at a campground for three days.
Flagler County deputies discovered the missing 11-year-old St. Johns County boy when they pulled over 60-year-old Darnell Hairston on U.S. 1 on New Year’s Eve.
Authorities received a tip that Hairston, a known sex offender, was found with two teenagers.
During the traffic stop, the 11-year-old boy told police he had been kidnapped and that he believed Hairston was going to kill him. As officers attempted to arrest Hairston, body camera video showed Hairston running and trying to grab an officer’s gun before being restrained by the officer.
As officers were making an arrest, 15-year-old Junior Bishop took off in Hairston’s truck, narrowly missing an officer, deputies said. Bishop later collided with a vice-cruiser.
A newly released arrest affidavit states the 11-year-old victim was in a group Snapchat chat with Junior Bishop. The victim told Bishop that his friend had been sexually assaulted, and Sheriff Rick Staley said Darnell Hairston may have been involved, the report states.
“Hairston believed this man had information that could land him in jail. That led him and 15-year-old Junior Bishop to hatch a plot to lure the 11-year-old into a rural area of Flagler County,” Staley told Channel 9.
The victim met Bishop near Frederick Street and East Deep Creek Avenue and then headed to a nearby wooded area, the report states. The victim said he saw blankets, pillows, beer, camping chairs and a large kitchen knife there. “Darnell [Hairston] Then he came behind the victim and strangled him to death, leaving him unable to make a sound or breathe, and he soon passed out. “
The victim said when he woke up, they taped his mouth and tied him up with shoelaces and extension cords. The report states he was fed alcohol and marijuana.
The victim told investigators he was forced to remain covered with a blanket as they left the camp.
Hairston told investigators he knew the 11-year-old was missing in St. Johns County but could not tell investigators why he never told the victim’s parents, the report said. Hairston claimed to investigators that he just wanted to go fishing with the victim.
Hairston knew the victim because he repaired ATVs in the St. Johns County area, the report said. Officers are thanking the caller who reported they saw Hairston, a known sex offender, with his two children.
“It’s amazing that he potentially saved this kid’s life. It just goes to show you if you see something, I mean, really call and say something,” said Chief Deputy Joe Barile.
“My detectives, and the briefings I received on the case, I think we all believed he was going to die that night. Our victim felt that way too. He was really scared,” Sheriff Rick Staley said.
Detectives issued an arrest warrant for Hairston on Friday on charges of kidnapping a child under 13, aggravated child abuse, battery by strangulation and robbery with a deadly weapon. Detectives served a warrant for his arrest at the Sheriff’s Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where Hairston is being held on a $125,000 bond for a previous arrest. He is being held without bail.
Bishop is currently in the custody of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Chief Staley said Bishop may face additional charges, but he has not cooperated with their investigation.
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